Submerged in controversy over prices and service, Salt Bae always lands on his feet: here are the numbers that attest to the success of its widely criticized but consistently sold-out London venue.
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In this case, the criticism is constructive. The London restaurant of the famous and bizarre Turkish butcher Nusret Gokçe, better known as Salt Bae, has been inundated with criticism and negative reviews since it opened last Sept. 23. Still, despite this, in the first three months, it grossed a revenue of 7 million pounds or a profit of 4.6 million pounds.
Photo from Instagram
Even before it opened, there were countless negative reviews for Nusr-Et Steakhouse in Knightsbridge, particularly its exorbitant prices. The Turkish butcher´s restaurant, with as many as 47 million followers when it opened, offered a tomahawk steak covered in 24-carat gold flakes for £850; the dish has since been removed from the menu, and now the most expensive main course is a £680 Wagyu loin steak. A lamb loin, on the other hand, costs £200 and a hamburger £40.
Tomahawk steak- Photo from John Stirk
A £37,000, which included £400 for a Baklava dessert and £18 for a side of asparagus immediately went viral. The manager of Nusr-Et Knightsbridge replied, "You can easily find these prices all over London. The service and quality we offer is extremely high." However, Telegraph food critic William Sitwell found the £35 price for a tuna tartare appetizer "inexcusable," and others of his colleagues refused to dine there. Even regulars panned the experience.
Cannes Festival- Photo of Ian Langsdon - Pool/Getty Images
On TripAdvisor, Salt Bae’s steakhouse is ranked 16,978 out of 17,465 restaurants in London. Despite this, the directors of Nusret Uk reported in company documents that "the company has built a strong network and gained awareness through its subsidiaries in the U.S."; in fact, the London eatery is only one of 22 restaurants Nusret has worldwide, including nine in Turkey and seven in the U.S.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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Cover Photo: Nusr-et Steakhouse London
